fiji village

Awoke to the beat of the drum again. I wish someone would do this for me at home. 

After breakfast, most all of us went to the village back up across the mountain. The path started out the same as yesterday's hike, but then went down and around along the beach. High tide too. Started raining hard again. I can't imagine that kind of commute to and from work every day. 

An hour or so later we finally made it to the village. Us girls covered our knees and shoulders. {all i had for knees were those fish pants we made for dad a long time ago. ridiculous looking.} 

We got a nice walking tour along the sidewalk. 

Sat in on some school classes. 

Gave our $3 donation to the village.  Went to a temporary market where I spent most of my time with these people:

Then walked back to the resort. Luckily, lower tide this time. and no downpours. 

But still quite muddy.

Came back in time for lunch and some more frolicking in the sun! Everyone was tired and hungry.

Laid low this afternoon. Played cards.

Went snorkeling again. –murky this time. But we did see the GIANT clams they've been talking about. They're really huge! and supposedly eat stingrays.

They made dinner underground using the heat of the earth to cook the food. What a feast they  made! 

Watched the beautiful sunset!!

After dinner, they put on a show. Gave me the chills. Some of us up front were invited to join in the song and dance. I had so, so much fun! I'm really going to miss this place and its people. 

But then, the shit show began. Seth's goal was to break $500 on cheap booze. Mission accomplished.

A girl had to be carried off to bed. Was a strange night indeed. But the stars were spectacular!

Some of us slept outside. Dragged our little mattresses and sheets outside and slept in the fresh air. Besides the rats running in the rafters above, it was a beautiful sleep.

Happy Valentine's Day Eve!

the way fiji's supposed to be

Finally, beautiful weather! Slept terribly. woke up with bites all over my hands/arms. The room {we're all in a large dorm room} was so hot. Miserable actually. Early wake up to the beat of a drum.

Erin and I went snorkeling right off the shore. Was really beautiful. {but I dont think as impressive as some of the Bahamian reefs}

Came back to the locals doing a coconut/palm demonstration. Cracked a coconut with their hands. They make it look so easy {especially remembering the effort and time we put into trying to crack coconuts in the bahamas: an all-day affair.}

After lunch we had "island games"– spear throwing and egg toss. Brought back the glory days of backyard games. After some more volleyball, some of us went to climb up the mountain for a sunset hike. We finally found the correct path and it was absolutely breathtaking. 

wrong path. this was the pineapple orchard

 I felt like I was in the Sound of Music or something. The tall dance danced in the wind. Lord of the Rings. straight up. 

katie and erin

 We saw a large storm cloud quickly approaching. I tucked my camera under my shirt, and began to just run back to the huts.  The rain pelted sideways, feeling almost like hail.  I'd run, run and then find a rock to hide behind to catch my breath, then it was back running in the mud downhill.  Luckily I made it in time before dark and before the rain really got to my camera.  

Dinner was delicious. The fish was some of the best food I've ever had. Bread fruit salad. YUM. ––perfect ending to a great day.

fiji time

The rest of the group came in today... there are now like 40 something of us. Pouring rain again. There's a new leader joining us from Sydney, Matt. A bit of a pretentious ass hole.  

We all boarded the ferry down at the wharf. Three hours and lots of vomit later {the storms and high seas led to most of the boat getting sick. smelled like vomit everywhere. gross.} , we ended up at Botaira Resort on some island.  Passed by some of the most unbelievable islands along the way. I'm waiting for a terradactyl to come flying out from behind one of the large mountains.  Jumped off the ferry onto overcrowded skiffs. {i can only imagine what it'd be like crossed the border via janky boats...} We were welcomed with juice and flowers and a delicious lunch. {pineapple here's especially delicious!}

Went swimming. A sea snake swam dangerously close to my face. {only later to find out that those suckers are mighty poisonous.} Some unfortunate people got raped by the sharp coral. Not what I pictured for tropical fijian islands... 

Erin and I went kayaking, taking on the perils of piracy in the high seas.  This place is beautiful even in the rain.  

allison and the outhouse 

People hit the volleyball court with some of the locals. It was a lot of fun.

volleyball. per usual

Melanie and I went for a walk in the low tide all the way to one of the points of the beach. Saw stingrays, lots of crabs, sea stars and all sorts of little critters. The crabs here can jump! 

melanie and her little cucumber friend

bright blue star fish

Had tea time complete with a little live band. The bass they rigged together is so awesome. It's just a string tied to a big wooden box and wooden dowel (pictures will come!). 

Back to the volleyball court. Seth was getting pretty schwasty at this point. Bought a round of beer for everyone on the court.  He's one of a kind–to say the least. 

seth: rock n roll

allison and I got fancy cocktails just cause we could

We all hung out at the bar after a curry dinner. Turned around to find all the 'newbies' gone to bed.  Danced our asses off. Minnie (one of the staff members) convinced us to play some silly drinking game. "Got elevated" on the bar top. Sang along to every song we played. What a night; what a night.

elevatedddd

tomorrow

safe arrival

BULA!
Well, 26 hours later, I've finally made it to Fiji!!
The flight was fine. Long. And my tv didn't really work. But, oh well.

I'd just like to say, i have the greatest friends in the whole world!! Really, they're awesome.

{especially thanks to those of you who wrote in the traveling journal– author, Callie (way to pull through yet again! i'm so grateful for the documentation you provide); Sam (WWSD. always. and i love the quote); Mary (I'll try to find a boy for you and I'm updating this blog just for you); Kinman (I'll try to come back for Wanee and don't have too much fun without me); Bolling (you should pursue poetry.  HAGS); Morgan (I'll try to bring back a Kangaroo for you just because your artwork is so incredibly breathtaking); Bozz (you made me cry. and can't wait for you to be at UGA next fall. stay hungry. stay foolish). and of course my family– Nate (always short and sweet. i'll be sure to have fun- but only because you listed that 6 times); Dad (i love you. and i'm not bringing my squash stuff all this way not to play); and Mom (can't wait to come across your words throughout the pages).  I LOVE YALL!}


Going back a little bit in the journal...

Tues 7 Feb:
Well, I'm on my way! This is finally it.  Am I nervous? No, not really. But I'm not looking forward to all the orientations. I hate that kind of stuff.

Mom walked me to security. We both got teary (1 of us more so than the other as you can imagine...) and she just stayed there until I was well out of sight.  I'm sure this is hard as a mother but she knows I'm ready and totally respects that. That's all i can really ask for. In the car, she even questioned if I"ll ever come back home. I certainly don't know the answer to that just yet. Only time will tell...

Meanwhile, I'm sitting in the Dallas airport waiting for the next leg of my journey.  Left my phone at home (so glad I'm done with that POS!) and I really do feel far removed already.

{Time out. This skater punk (no, not like 20; he's 42) is asking the kiosk lady for a smoking place. To smoke dope.  He doesn't understand why there isn't a place here- Amsterdam does!}



We lost Wed the 8th to the international date line...


Thurs 9 Feb:
arrived to Fiji! Got in at the wee hours of the morning–the sun rises really early here.  There are 12 of us from the program that were on the earlier flight. Needless to say, we've bonded quite well in the few hours we've known each other...

Katie's and my room

our home away from home for a couple of days

a little song and dance

Walked to the port in search for some food and ended up getting pizza at 9 in the morning.
Spent most of the day on the beach (when it wasn't raining) getting sun burned.

sun was trying to come out!

Katie (my roommate for now) + Seth

Most of the people are from the Northeast. We were all pretty white. Now, we're all red. and hurting.  Ryan, our program director is with us but we saw little of him all day.  He's really nice though.
Of the 12 that are here right now, 3 of us will be going to U of Otago. One of them is my roommate, Katie (yep, yet another katie). She's really great!

We're trying to stay awake as long as possible; getting hard to fight the yawns and keep eyes open.  We walked down to the port again for dinner. At least the weather's nicer than this morning!

katie and me

sun-kissed and tired

Fri 10 Feb:
Even though my sunburn doesn't look so bad, it is soooo uncomfortable. Slept nearly naked to relieve some of the pain.

This morning, Katie agreed to go for a quick run with me. We died. It is so incredibly humid; it felt like i was trying to breathe underwater.  I haven't sweat so much in a long time. But, we're glad we did it– at least we did something.

Afterwards, we packed our bags and walked to the port to find free wi-fi (the hotel's outrageous and slowwww). Soon after setting up our laptops and getting settled, it started pouring! Monsooning!

So, right now, I'm listening to Kings of Leon and Jack Johnson over the radio and the heavy rain coming down outside, checking emails and updating yall!

downpour beyond that screen

Tomorrow morning we ferry off to another island for a few days. Cheers!

the beginning of goodbyes

As you may well know, tomorrow, I embark to the other side of the world for the next six months (or as my friends are led to believe, for forever).  And while I've been busy, working {a lot} over the past few weeks, it hasn't hit me that I will (a) be leaving (b) life at UGA and at home goes on without me and (c) I always manage to overestimate my productiveness of time!!

I went up to Athens on Fri to say goodbyes to friends there... had a lovely {3 hour} dinner with high school friends. Went out with a bang. Stayed up til the wee hours of morning talking with some great people. Had another great breakfast at Mama's Boy.

im gonna miss you girls!!

What a random, but fabulous last visit to Athens for a while! I sure am going to miss it!

And then tonight, my sweet little Katie came over to join the family for a last family dinner. She wrote me this all too touching post {makes me cry} on her very own blog.  I certainly treasure our time together and will miss the company over the next short period of my life.

However, I am just a quick skype away!

I may be out of touch over the next few days. Not sure if i'll have internet in Fiji...

TTFN {ta ta for now!}

funday quote

In honor of my departure for New Zealand, home of LOTR, this week...

"The Road goes ever on and on 

down from the door where I began,

now far ahead the Road has gone,

and I must follow if I can,

pursuing it with eager feet, 

until it joins some larger way

where many path and errands meet.

And whither then? I cannot say."

– Bilbo Baggins

We'll see where the Road takes me!